Keeping The Tradition Alive: A Family Of Aggie Educators

They have been around education their entire lives, so when the time came to choose a college major education was the clear choice for Jamie Holder’s children.

Jamie Holder graduated from the secondary education program in 1986. After spending time teaching in the Brazos Valley, he was hired to teach and coach in Lindale ISD where he has spent the last 26 years and currently serves as deputy superintendent.

“LISD has a great academic reputation and it has been a very rewarding place to work and raise a family,” added Holder. “I have had the privilege of serving LISD as a teacher, coach, department chair, assistant principal, junior high principal, high school principal and now I am in my eighth year as deputy superintendent.”

Education was not always Holder’s path. When he was a sophomore at A&M, his sister hinted that she thought he would make a great educator. Thanks to her hint, he found his way to Harrington Tower.

“The great preparation I received from the College of Education and Human Development, the invaluable experience through the Corps and the awesome role models I had proved to be a great recipe for success for me,” explained Holder.

That success includes being named educator of the year and principal of the year during his tenure with Lindale ISD. His children are also seeing similar success in their education careers.

His daughter, Jennifer Glick, graduated from Texas A&M in 2005. She has been named teacher of the year twice and was a finalist a third time. After teaching in both Huntsville ISD and Willis ISD, Glick now calls Conroe ISD home.

“I strive each day to give every student the best education I can give them. In doing so, I feel that I have a part in making their future better and, in turn, the future of our world one small classroom at a time,” explained Glick. “I think the thought of helping students to become educated, productive and kind citizens of tomorrow is what drove me to education.”

Glick credits her success to her training at A&M. Through her mentors and role models in both the college and during her student teaching experiences, Glick was able to practice and perfect her craft and prepare for her own classroom.

Holder’s middle child, Kara Sullivan, graduated from A&M in 2010. She works for Bryan ISD and was named middle school teacher of the year in 2013. Sullivan completed her senior methods at SFA Middle School in Bryan where she was then hired as an eighth-grade teacher and coach and now serves as school counselor.

“Luckily, I’m sitting right where I want to be in my career. I knew from the beginning I wanted to be a counselor,” Sullivan explained. “From this point forward, I want to help teachers become better teachers when it comes to building relationships with students and I want to impact as many students as possible.”

Holder’s youngest will graduate from A&M in May 2017. Growing up in an education setting with his father and having both of his older sisters as teachers, Kyle Holder says he never considered any other profession. Kyle will begin student teaching in the spring and hopes to have as great an impact as the rest of his family.

“I just want to make a positive impact on young adult lives, be someone who they respect and someone they can relate to and learn from. I know the key to success is about building positive relationships with students and that will be my primary goal,” said Kyle.

As a third generation Aggie, Kyle takes great pride in knowing that he is walking the same halls and sitting in the same classrooms as his father and two older sisters. He is very confident in the resources and education that Texas A&M has provided him and hopes to one day be as successful as his father.

“I have the same motivation in 2016 that I had in 1986. I enjoy mentoring young teachers and aspiring administrators. Hopefully I have had a positive impact on a young adult along the way. I will always be a loud and proud supporter of public education in Texas. I never hesitate to hire Aggies. They make great educators,” added Holder.